Amazing Smoked Sausage Mac N' Cheese

Hello! I would like to share with you a family favorite around my house!!! I am also very picky on what type of sausage I like and the Eckrich Brand Smoked Sausage adds the most amazing smokey flavor to the mac and cheese!!

1. One 14-16oz package of Eckrich Smoked Sausage
2. 1.5 cups milk
3. 2.5 Tablespoons of coconut oil (or use butter if you don't like coconut oil)
4. One 8 oz block of mild or sharp cheddar cheese
5. A 16-17oz package of Gemelli pasta (feel free to try other styles of pasta, but I love this one! The sauce soaks into the folds in the noodles and it's fantastic!)
6. Panko bread crumbs (optional - but if you like an added crunch to your bite, it's delicious!)
7. Small bag of your favorite shredded cheese blend (optional)

1. A sauté pan

2. A large enough Sauce Pan to boil noodles in

3. Noodle drainer

4. Cutting board & Knife

5. Spatula

6. Measuring cup to measure the milk

7. Glass baking pan (optional - if you would like to bake your mac n cheese with bread crumbs after it's cooked)

8. A Timer

9. A spoon

Dice up your sausage into bite size pieces and put it in the sauté pan.

Then, dice up your 8 oz block of cheese and leave it off to the side on the cutting board, we will need it soon. Don't add it to the dish yet.

Fill your sauce pan more than half full of water and turn the stove on medium/high heat to get the water boiling. Once the water is boiling, drop in a little over half of the bag of 17 oz gemelli noodles, then set the timer for 12 minutes.

While your waiting for the water to boil, start frying the sausage in the sauté pan on medium heat, browning the sausage. This will help add that nice smokey flavor to the mac and cheese!

While your noodles are still cooking and you have about 5-7 minutes left until the noodles are done, It's time to start making the cheese sauce. Add 2.5 Tablespoons of coconut oil to the sausage in the sauté pan.

Once the coconut oil is fully melted, mix the 1.5 cups of milk in with the sausage and coconut oil! Stir and mix it all together. Turn the heat to medium low or about 3-4 depending on your stove at home. If your milk begins boiling, stir frequently.

After you add the milk in and stir it all up, drop in the cubed up cheese and mix it all together. Feel free to add a small handful of shredded cheese too! Turn the heat to medium and stir frequently until the cheese and milk is melted and blended together. Once the cheese is melted, turn the heat to low. The milk, cheese, and coconut oil will make a nice cheese sauce.

At this point, your noodles should almost be done! If they are already finished, wait until the cheese is fully melted to add the noodles to the sauté pan.

Once the cheese sauce is melted and blended together, drain the noodles and mix them in with the sausage and cheese sauce. Stir them all together, serve, and enjoy!

The next step is optional unless you would like to bake yours with bread crumbs to add an added crunch on top!

Scoop your fabulous mac and cheese into a glass baking dish, sprinkle a handful of shredded cheese on top, then cover it with a thin layer of panko bread crumbs.

Bake at 325 for 10-15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and enjoy!